Autistic History

Autistic History: Aspies For Freedom

Aviva Seigler


Aspies For Freedom (AFF) was a activist group that aimed to raise public awareness of the autistic rights movement that was founded in November 2004 by Amy and Gwen Nelson. Gwen Nelson made parodies of Autism Speaks. In these parodies they stated that Autism Speaks silences autistic people, which is true. The usage of the infinity symbol started with the AFF. 

 

 

Aims of AFF:

♾To oppose the idea of a cure for autism and aspergers.

  • ♾To re-label aspergers and autism as being a neurological difference and not always disabling.
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  • ♾To be recognised as equals in society.
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  • ♾To establish a sense of community for people on the autistic spectrum.
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  • ♾To acquire legal protection against our human rights being violated throughout the world.
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  • ♾To unite the autistic community both online and offline.
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  • ♾To have our own unique autism culture and abilities recognised in society.
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  • ♾To have autistics recognised as an official minority group by the United Nations.

Soon after its establishment, AFF received supportive letters from professionals such as Simon Baron-Cohen, Tony Attwood and Donna Williams. 

In 2004, AFF petitioned the United Nations to have autistic people recognized as a minority status group. There was a statement released called “Declaration of the Autism Community.” This article explained the reason for seeking this recognition from the United Nations and the work that went towards achieving this. AFF was cited by The Guardians a resource for employment assistance for autistic people. Gwen Nelson and AFF has spoken out prenatal genetic testing for autism, as this is eugenics.  

Their goal was to educate the public that autism was not always a disability, there were advantages and disadvantages.  AFF provides support for the autistic community and protests attempts that use quackery to cure autism. 

  • Autistic Pride Day, originally an Aspies for Freedom initiative, is a pride celebration for autistic people held on 18 June each year. Autistic pride
  • nations within the Asian Football Confederation from Southeast Asia Aspies For Freedom a group advocating autism rights Austin Film Festival, a film festival
  • 1998 Honours thesis and in Blume s 1998 article in The Atlantic. Aspies For Freedom AFF was founded in 2004, and established June 18 as Autistic Pride
  • for Real Change: 1976 – supports the providers of the individuals with learning disabilities. Aspies For Freedom AFF Raises public awareness for
  • original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018. Aspies For Freedom Aspies For Freedom Archived from the original on 2010 – 01 – 17. Retrieved 24
  • Series, which included his book, Freedom to Learn and Learning to Feel – Feeling to Learn – Humanistic Education for the Whole Man, by Harold C. Lyon
  • However, he missed the deadline by one day and the prize was awarded to pilot Aspy Engineer. Singh later also became the first Indian to fly solo to South Africa
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC held at the Simpsonwood Methodist retreat and conference center in Norcross, Georgia. Aspies For Freedom AFF
  • looking for information about autism. New parody sites were later launched by Gareth Nelson, founder of the autism rights group Aspies for Freedom In September
  • comedy music to be performed in front of an audience on board Royal Caribbean s Freedom of the Seas. Practices were held daily where the individuals learned songs
  • Autism Acceptance Project. Retrieved on 2008 – 11 – 24. Mission Statement. Aspies for Freedom Retrieved on 2008 – 11 – 24. Autism Network International presents Autreat
  • Autism Network International ANI is an advocacy organization run by and for autistic people. ANI s principles involve the anti – cure perspective, the
  • Ed 31 December 2007 Ruth Aspy Barry G. Grossman Gary B. Mesibov, Ph.D. FRW Designing Comprehensive Interventions for High – Functioning Individuals
  • This is a list of schools for people on the Autism Spectrum. Ashdale Secondary College Pathlight School Alderwasley Hall School Breckenbrough School Kensington
  • The National Alliance for Autism Research NAAR based in Princeton, New Jersey, was a non – profit advocacy organization, founded by parents of children
  • little relevance to them and that autism rights are for the high – functioning autistics and Aspies who make up the bulk of the movement Many also say
  • typical, is a neologism widely used in the autistic community as a label for people who are not on the autism spectrum. In its original usage, it referred
  • essay, Don t Mourn for Us, with an anti – cure perspective on autism. The essay has been thought of by some to be a touchstone for the fledgling autism – rights
  • Facebook or Twitter for one day on 1 November. The concept of the event is based on the idea that social communication is difficult for autistic people.
  • activists and self – advocates on the front lines of this struggle for inclusion, and freedom from persecution. Featuring notable figures such as Ari Ne eman
  • Too Sane for This World is a documentary series that was directed by William Davenport. The first film, Too Sane for This World, was released on September
  • Everybody Is Different : A Book for Young People Who Have Brothers or Sisters With Autism is a book by Fiona Bleach. The book addresses questions that
  • The National Autistic Society NAS is a British charity for autistic people. The purpose of the organisation is to improve the lives of autistic people
  • neurodiversity movement, who instead support finding treatments or a cure for autism, including Jenny McCarthy and Doreen Granpeesheh. Drezner also interviews
  • for autism and controversies surrounding the nonprofit organization Autism Speaks and the Judge Rotenberg Center, a residential institution known for
  • private practice in Madison, Wisconsin and works as a resource specialist for autism services at the Common Threads Family Resource Center in McFarland
  • disability Societal and cultural aspects of autism Organizations Aspies For Freedom Autism National Committee Autism Network International Autistic Self
  • Network ASAN is a 501 c 3 nonprofit advocacy organization run by and for individuals on the autism spectrum. ASAN holds that the goal of autism advocacy
  • Action for Autism AFA is an Indian non – profit, education, training and advocacy organisation which provides support and services to persons with autism
  • AFF has been featured in the New Scientist Magazine, MSNBC.com and The Graphic Truth. In August of 2007, the membership was estimated at 20,000 people. 
  • AFF offers a chatroom that provides support for autistic people everywhere. 

Due to AFF and the Neurodiversity movement at large, there has been the cause of scholarly discourse on the subject and has been covered in depth by mutiple peer reviewed journals. AFF has repeatedly sparked commentary from the bioethics community on whether or not prenatal genetic testing for autism is ethical, moral or is eugenics. This testing would lead to abortion.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspies_For_Freedom

https://amp.freejournal.info/1566180/1/aspies-for-freedom.html

https://psychology.wikia.org/wiki/Aspies_For_Freedom

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Aspies_For_Freedom

https://articlerescuesquad.fandom.com/wiki/Aspies_For_Freedom

https://americanbadassactivists.wordpress.com/2021/06/18/happy-autistic-pride-day-lightitupgold/

Published by Aviva Seigler

Aviva Seigler is the executive director at Fierce Autistics and Allies. She is a writer, an activist, and an advocate. She is an LGBTQ+ autistic from South Florida, is married to a very supportive husband, and has six children. She has been fighting the CD protocol and other quack treatments since 2014. She is a veterinary technologist (LPN for pets). She has her associates and bachelors degree in Veterinary Technology from St. Petersburg College. She is very involved with scouting with her six children. Three of the children are autistic but all are Neurodivergent. Her hope is to bridge the gap between allies and autistics while fighting the pseudoscience that threatens all people, not just autistics.

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